A major fire broke out in Varnavas, East Attica, Greece. A major fire that ignited in Varnavas, in East Attica, early Sunday afternoon continues to blaze uncontrollably, now threatening the Marathon region. Authorities have begun evacuating residents from Stamata and Mikrochori as the situation worsens. The fire service said strong winds, which reached force 8 on the Beaufort scale at the start of the fire, caused it to spread quickly. The fire is now moving towards Marathon Lake and fire crews are stepping up their efforts. “The fire is now reaching flames up to 25 metres high,“ a fire service spokesman said. The fire has also triggered explosions on electricity pylons, resulting in power outages across the Marathon municipality. In a coordinated rescue operation by the Greek special police force, 25 people trapped in vehicles in the Varnavas area were freed, with an earlier rescue of 40 individuals from their cars. Firefighting efforts have been significantly bolstered, with 250 firefighters, 9 foot patrols, 30 vehicles, and 19 air units currently deployed. The primary focus is on conducting as many aerial water drops as possible before nightfall.
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